Question:

Which one of the following statements is not true? 

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In geological history, remember that Laurasia and Gondwana were two major supercontinents, with Gondwana being the precursor to the continents that now make up the southern hemisphere.
Updated On: Aug 26, 2026
  • Rocks froze at the local magnetic field when continents drifted apart.
  • While South America drifted west, breaking away from Africa, Australia drifted east.
  • India was part of Laurasia which later broke away from Gondwanal.
  • Some species of Australian wildlife from the Jurassic period have survived to this day. 

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The Correct Option is C

Approach Solution - 1


India was not part of Laurasia. It was actually a part of the supercontinent Gondwana along with Africa, Australia, and South America. Over time, Gondwana broke apart, with India drifting northward, eventually colliding with Asia, giving rise to the Himalayas. Therefore, statement (C) is false.

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Approach Solution -2

The question asks for the statement that does not hold true, so each option can be checked against known facts about continental drift and Gondwana's breakup.

  1. Option A: As continents drifted apart, rocks that solidified at different times recorded the magnetic field prevailing at that location and time, a phenomenon central to paleomagnetism used to reconstruct plate movements. This statement holds true.
  2. Option B: During the breakup of Gondwana, South America separated from Africa and moved westward while Australia, still attached to Antarctica for a while, eventually drifted eastward. This statement is consistent with the accepted drift pattern and holds true.
  3. Option C: India was never part of Laurasia. Laurasia was the northern supercontinent formed of North America, Europe, and Asia, whereas India was firmly part of the southern supercontinent Gondwana, alongside Africa, Australia, South America, and Antarctica. This statement does not hold true.
  4. Option D: Australia's long isolation after separating from Antarctica allowed several ancient lineages, such as certain reptiles and invertebrates dating back to the Jurassic period, to persist largely unchanged. This statement holds true.

Since options A, B, and D all check out against the historical and geological record while option C misattributes India's origin to Laurasia instead of Gondwana, option C is the one that is not true.

Hence, the correct answer is Option C.

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